Method and apparatus for a power distribution system

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided to reduce the spreading inductance and increase the distributed capacitance of power planes within the power distribution system of a semiconductor package substrate. In one embodiment, pre-fabricated copper-clad laminate (CCL) structures are utilized as starting material for the power plane pairs, which are then integrated into a package substrate using imaging, lamination, and drilling/plating processes. In alternate embodiments, a starting material having a larger insulating layer thickness may be used to form the CCL structure, whereby a pair of metallic planes having a perforated mesh pattern are adjoined through a dielectric layer to create an effective separation distance between the metallic planes. Alternate embodiments employ plating or deposition methods to obtain a minimum separation distance between the metallic planes of a power plane pair.

1. A power distribution system, comprising:
 a package substrate including,
 a plurality of conductive layers separated by a plurality of insulating layers, each of the plurality of insulating layers having a first thickness; and 
 a plurality of copper-clad laminate structures, each copper-clad laminate structure including conductive layers separated by an insulating layer having a second thickness; 
 
 a die coupled to the package substrate and adapted to conduct operational power from the plurality of copper-clad laminate structures; and 
 wherein the second thickness is less than one half of the first thickness. 
 
     
     
       2. The power distribution system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conductive layers and the plurality of insulative layers having the first thickness form build-up portions adjacent to the plurality of copper-clad laminate structures. 
     
     
       3. The power distribution system of  claim 2 , further comprising build-up vias displaced between the plurality of conductive layers of the build-up portions. 
     
     
       4. The power distribution system of  claim 3 , further comprising plated-through holes displaced between the plurality of conductive layers of the copper-clad laminate structures. 
     
     
       5. The power distribution system of  claim 4 , wherein the build-up vias and plated-through holes are interconnected to provide the operational power to the die. 
     
     
       6. The power distribution system of  claim 5 , wherein the interconnection of build-up vias and plated-through holes isolates one conductive layer of a copper-clad laminate structure from remaining conductive layers of the plurality of copper-clad laminate structures. 
     
     
       7. The power distribution system of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of copper-clad laminate structures are adapted to conduct operational power at different voltage magnitudes. 
     
     
       8. The power distribution system of  claim 5 , wherein the interconnection of build-up vias and plated-through holes couple a first conductive layer of each copper-clad laminate structure together. 
     
     
       9. The power distribution system of  claim 8 , wherein the first conductive layer of each copper-clad laminate structure is adapted to conduct operational power at the same voltage magnitude. 
     
     
       10. The power distribution system of  claim 1 , wherein each conductive layer of the copper-clad laminate structure is deposited onto a substrate that forms the insulating layer of the copper-clad laminate structure. 
     
     
       11. The power distribution system of  claim 1 , wherein the insulating layer of the copper-clad laminate structure is deposited onto a substrate that forms a conductive layer of the copper-clad laminate structure. 
     
     
       12. A power distribution system, comprising:
 a package substrate including,
 a plurality of conductive layers separated by a plurality of insulating layers, each of the plurality of insulating layers having a first thickness; and 
 a plurality of copper-clad laminate structures, each copper-clad laminate structure including first and second conductive layers having first and second perforation patterns, the first and second conductive layers being separated by an insulating layer having a second thickness; 
 
 a die coupled to the package substrate and adapted to conduct operational power from the plurality of copper-clad laminate structures; and 
 wherein the second thickness is less than one quarter of the first thickness. 
 
     
     
       13. The power distribution system of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of conductive layers and the plurality of insulative layers having the first thickness form build-up portions adjacent to the plurality of copper-clad laminate structures, the conductive layers of the build-up portions being selectively coupled together using build-up vias. 
     
     
       14. The power distribution system of  claim 13 , further comprising plated-through holes displaced between the first and second conductive layers of the copper-clad laminate structures, wherein the build-up vias and plated-through holes are interconnected to provide the operational power to the die. 
     
     
       15. The power distribution system of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second conductive layers of each copper-clad laminate structure are compressed together to reduce an initial thickness of the insulating layer of the copper-clad laminate structure to the second thickness. 
     
     
       16. The power distribution system of  claim 15 , wherein a portion of the insulating layer of each copper-clad laminate structure flows into the first and second perforation patterns during the reduction of the initial thickness of the insulating layer of each copper-clad laminate structure. 
     
     
       17. A method of forming a power distribution system within a package substrate, the method comprising:
 developing a starting material to form power plane pairs within the package substrate, the starting material including first and second conductive layers separated by a first insulating layer; 
 laminating the power plane pairs together to form a core portion of the package substrate; 
 laminating build-up layers to the core portion to form build-up portions of the package substrate, the build-up portions including a plurality of conductive layers separated by a plurality of second insulating layers; and 
 wherein a thickness of the first insulating layer is less than half of a thickness of the plurality of second insulating layers. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein developing the starting material comprises:
 selecting a pre-fabricated copper-clad laminate structure as the starting material; and 
 selecting the thickness of the first insulating layer to be between 1 and 15 micrometers. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 17 , wherein developing the starting material comprises:
 perforating the first and second conductive layers; 
 laminating the first insulating layer between the first and second conductive layers to form a laminate structure; and 
 compressing the laminate structure until the thickness of the first insulating layer is less than a quarter of the thickness of the plurality of second insulating layers. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein a portion of the first insulating layer flows into the perforations formed within the first and second conductive layers during compression of the laminate structure.